Suction cleaner



D. G. SMELLIE SUCTION CLEANER May 9, 1933.

Filed March 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inc/FY2267" Donafd GJmeZZz -May 9,1933.

D. e. SMELLIE SUCTION CLEANER Filed March 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 u n Vl 4. 6 2? Patented May 9,

PATENT OFFICE 1001mm: a. SMELLIE, or CANTON, omo,

ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVER COMPANY, OF

NORTH CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO SUCTION CLEANER Application.filed March 7,

The present invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularlyto the means for adjusting the height of the nozzle of the suctioncleaner relative to the surface covering undergoing cleaning. Theinvention comprises specifically an improved construction by which thefront supporting wheels may be raised or lowered relative to the suctioncleaner casing that the nozzle height may be varied.

It is an object of the present invention to provide, in a suctioncleaner, a new and improved means for adjusting the nozzle heightrelative to the-surface covering undergoing cleaning. It is a furtherobject of the present invention to'provide a simple, durable and easilyoperated construction by which the front supporting wheels of a suctioncleaner may be raised and lowered relative to the cleaner to vary thenozzle height. Other and more specific objects will appear uponconsidering the specification which fol lows and the drawings annexedthereto.

Referring now to the drawings:

Figure 1 discloses a side view of a suction cleaner embodyingheight-adjusting means constructed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section upon the lines 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a cross section upon the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2;

I Fig. 4 is a cross section upon the lines H of Fig. 3.

In the drawings and in Fig. 1 in particular, an ordinary j suctioncleaner is disclosed which comprises the usual'par'ts including a maincasing 5, which forms the suction nozzle 6, the fan chamber 7 and theexhaust outlet 8. At the corners of the nozzle 6 wheel pockets areformed by curved walls 9 and 10,

which also serve, in cooperation with bottom plate 11, to form anair-directive passage therebetween for the cleaning air moving fromthenozzle mouth to the fan chamber 7. The wheel pockets formed by the walls9 and 10 and by the casing 5 are entirely outside of the air passage, asis clearly shown in Fig. 2. A motor casing, which is indicated generallyby the reference character 12, is mounted on 1930. swarm. 433,854.

the main casing 5 and houses the driving mo-.

tor for the suction-creating fan within the fan chamber 7 the motor andfan not being shown. A handle bail 13 is pivoted at its lowerextremityto'the casing 5 and provides means by which the cleaner may be propelledover the surface covering undergoing cleaning. A dust separator,indicated by the reference character 14, is secured to the exhaustoutlet 8 by any suitable means such as 15 and functions, in theoperation'of the machine, to separate the suspended foreign matter fromthe air which passes through the cleaner.

The supporting means for the cleaner comprise, at the nozzle end, spacedwheels which are located one within each of the wheel pockets formedat-the sides of the nozzle 6.

These wheels are indicated by the reference characters 16, 16 and areadjustable relative to the cleaner as will be hereinafter described andin a manner which forms the subject matter of the present invention. Therear supporting wheels, of which only one is shown and which isindicated by the reference character 17 are rigidly mounted relative tothe cleaner proper by means of a suitable bracket 18 and serve, when thecleaner is ad usted relative to the surface covering undergoingcleaning, as the axis about which the cleaner pivots.

. Referring now to Figures 2, 3 and 4a in particular, each frontsupporting wheels 16 is shown. rotatably mounted on a bearing 19 whichis itself eccentrically mounted upon a shaft 20 which in turn is rigidlysecured to the side wall of the suction nozzle 6 by means of itsthreaded engagement with the protruding end of bolt member 21. At themner end of bearing 19 is a gear 22 which is fixedly carried by bearing19 by means 0 the longitudinally extending bolts 23, 23. Gear 22, whichis concentrically mounted relative to the shaft 20, forms, with thewheel 16 and the bearing 19, a unitary construction which is securedrelative to the supporting shaft20 by means of a bolt member 24 which isthreaded in the end thereof.

Between the two wheel pockets of the nozzle 6 extends a shaft 25 whichis rotatably mounted in bearings 26, 26 formed in the 2 1,907,886 walls9 and 10. At the extremities of the said casing, a rotatable bearingmember ecshaft are gears 27, 27 which are adapted to centricallysupporting said wheel on said mesh wit the segmental gears 22, 22 andaxle, a gear secured to said bearing member, rotation of shaft 25, tocause a second gear, a rotatable shaft su porting said second gear inoperative relation relative to said first gear, and manually rotatablemeans carried by said casing and operatively connected to said firstmentioned shaft. e nozzle. In order that the shaft In a suction cleaner,a casing, an axle fix- 10 25 may be readily rotated by the operator aroedly mounted therein, a bearing rotatably and tatable knob 28 isprovided which is carried eccentrically mounted on said axle, a supby ashaft 29 which extends upwardl h porting wheel rotatably mounted on thesaid the nozzle wall fr ring, a gear secured to said bearing, asecpockets and is rotatably mount gear, a rotatableshaft supporting saidable bearing30 formed in said nozzle. second gear in opera-tive relatlonrelative to lower end of shaft 29 a'worm gear 31 meshes said first gearand means to rotate said shaft carried by comprising a manuallyrotatable shaft carby said casing, a gear on said shaft and wlthcooperating gear on said first mentioned Signed at orth Canton, in thecounty of Stark, and State of Ohio, this 28th day of February, A. D.1930.

DONALD G. SMELLIE.

d a worm gear 31 is outside ference of gear 27.

'I o adjust the nozzle height of the cleaner whichembodies-helght-adjustmg means constructed in 'accordance with thepresent inh are rigidly connected.- As

gear 31 rotates it causes thegear 32 upon rotate thereby rotating the erespective ends of shaft 25, pen the rotation of the gears 27, 27 theears 22, 22 which their ad uStment is made im ossible by the rigid meansthrough which t ey are by which they are adjusted. I ela1m:' o 1. In asuction cleaner, a casing, spaced supportin wheels forsaid casing, anaxle for eachw eel carried by said casing, an eccentric bearing memberfor each wheel rotatably mounted on an axle, and means to rotate saidbearing members relative to said axles comprising agear carried by eachmember, coop crating gears rotatably mounted on said casrativelyconnected with said first gears and means to synchronously rotate saidsecond mentioned gears. I 2. In a suction cleaner, a casing, an axlecarried by said asing, a supporting wheel for

